Maxfield supports stand on fracking

ALP candidate for Narracan Christine Maxfield has supported the state government’s ban on fracking to protect Gippsland farmers.

A re-elected state government will preserve its legislated ban on fracking to protect prime agricultural land for good.

Ms Maxfield said the local community had made it clear it does not want fracking in Gippsland and risking “our clean, green image and all the jobs that depend on it.

“Only Labor will enshrine our ban against fracking in the constitution,” she said.

Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford said Victoria had some of the cleanest and greenest food and fibre in the world, with Gippsland dairy, beef, horticulture and cropping second-to-none.

“Our primary producers are truly world leaders. That’s why we banned fracking, to protect our farmland and our reputation,” she said.

Ms Pulford said farmers across Gippsland had made it clear they wanted to protect the industry and their land from the impacts of fracking and coal seam gas operations.

“Gippsland farmers produce some of the cleanest and greenest food and fibre in the world. We’re determined to keep it that way. This is about protecting jobs and our global agricultural reputation,” she said.

Labor also will provide $1 million to export focussed marketing activities, to promote the state’s clean and green food and fibre sector to the world.

The investment will fund a number of minister-led inbound and outbound trade missions, bringing leaders from agriculture, food processing and government together with major purchasers of agricultural exports.